Consciences
by Empress Tansy
Summary: Mistkit and Nightkit died when they were only a few days old. Wishkit and Hopekit didn't even live that long. Their brothers turned into monsters. Now Tigerstar and Brokenstar have to live with their little sisters acting as their consciences, trying to talk them out of their evil schemes. A four-part mini story.
1. Chapter 1

_**(A/N: This is the first of a four-part mini story. The first and third will be about Tigerstar, the second and forth about Brokenstar. Basically, I've always had this little headcanon where Mistkit and Nightkit become Tigerstar's consciences and Wishkit and Hopekit become Brokenstar's. **_

_**These will be SHORT stories. They are not meant to be very long.)**_

Tigerclaw

Green leaves rustled softly against the thin branches of a small bush. A brown rabbit sat beside the bush, calmly nibbling on some red berries, happily unaware of the dark brown tabby cat crouched behind the root of a tree. The rabbit reached to take another mouthful of berries, thinking it was lucky to have found the little yummy treats. Before the creature could swallow its bite, the tabby pounced, piercing the rabbit's neck with sharp teeth.

Dragging the lifeless rabbit away from the bush, the tabby glanced around cautiously, hoping no other cat was around. Confident that he was alone, he began padding away from the bush. He strolled lazily through the forest until the trees came to an end and a smooth ribbon of black tar and gravel blocked his path. The Thunderpath was narrow here, the perfect place to drop a piece of prey. The scent of the Clan across the path would drift over and blanket the rabbit. By the time it was discovered, the tabby's scent would be long gone.

_Now all I have to do is get Bluestar to come here!_ the tabby thought, picturing the gray-furred leader in his mind. _If she's killed by a monster, I'll be the leader!_

A shrill voice in his head stopped the tom in his tracks. _Killing is wrong, brother!_

A second voice added, _Think of the consequences, brother!_

The tabby cat shook his head angrily. "Leave me alone!" he spat. Realizing he had said that out loud, he quickly scanned the area, hoping no one had heard his outburst.

_Make good choices, brother!_

The tom unsheathed his claws, digging them into the grass. "Stop it! Stop talking to me!"

_We will when you start being good, brother!_

Snorting, the tabby lashed his tail. "Mistkit, Nightkit, you stop this right now! You're dead! Stop interfering with my life!"

The kits' voices giggled quietly. _We like interfering, _Nightkit's ghost voice mewed.

_It's because we love you, Tigerclaw!_ Mistkit added.

"But I don't love you!" Tigerclaw snarled, a wave of embarrassment flooding over him as he realized he was speaking into thin air. What if someone saw him? They would think he was crazy for talking to a tree!

_We just want you to be good!_

_Mama wants you to be good!_

The tom sighed, shaking his head sadly. "I'm sure Leopardfoot is disappointed in me."

_You can change, brother!_

"But I want to be leader!" Tigerclaw cried, regaining his composure. "You two go be the good ones and make Mother proud. Just leave me alone!"

_Oh, brother, why must you be bad? _Mistkit asked.

"I am not bad! I just want power!"

_But you'll kill to get it!_ Nightkit cried.

The tom let out an annoyed his. "You don't know anything about me! You're both dead!"

_We get to watch over you!_

_We know more about you than you know about you!_

"Just shut up!" Tigerclaw yowled. "Leave me alone! I can do whatever I want and there is nothing you can do to stop me!"

Nightkit's quiet murmur interrupted his outburst. _Oh, brother, we'll never stop watching over you._

_We love you, brother!_ Mistkit added.

* * *

><p>"Cinderpaw has been injured very badly," Whitestorm meowed sadly, explaining to the deputy what had happened. "Yellowfang isn't sure if she'll live."<p>

"What?" Tigerclaw gasped. "Not Cinderpaw!" _How could my plan have gone so wrong? Cinderpaw wasn't supposed to die- Bluestar was!_

_You've been very bad, brother._

_It's all your fault Cinderpaw's hurt._

"Stop!" the tom cried, squeezing his eyes shut in an effort to block out his sisters' voices. "This is not my fault!"

Whitestorm gave Tigerclaw a perplexed glance. "What are you talking about? Of course it's not your fault. You couldn't have known Cinderpaw would run onto to the Thunderpath.

_But it is your fault, brother._

_You have to make this right. You don't have to kill anyone._

Tigerclaw shook his head furiously, stalking away from Whitestorm and ducking into the warriors' den. "I've already killed cats! The plan is already in motion."

_You can stop it, brother._

_Just remember- we will always be watching over you._


	2. Chapter 2

Brokentail

A ragged brown tom sat up high on a thick branch of an oak tree, staring down at the ground below him. His eyes darted from side to side, watching for someone to come by. It had to be the right someone, though. The cat who could give him all he ever wanted.

_You don't have to do this!_ a voice inside his head cried.

The tom's head jerked up, not sure what he had heard. "Who said that?" he snapped. "Who's there?"

_It's me! _the voice said again.

_And me! _a second voice added.

"I don't understand!" the tom hissed. "Where are you? Why can't I see you?"

The voices snickered at the cat's confusion. _We're your sisters, mousebrain!_

_Yeah! Don't you remember us, Brokentail?_

"I don't have any sisters!" Brokentail meowed, not understanding the voices. "Just Tangleburr, but she's not my real sister."

The voices snickered again. _We are your real sisters._

The tom shook his head. "I don't have sisters!" he repeated. "And why can't I see you? Show yourselves!"

_We can't, _one of the voices squeaked.

"Why not?" Brokentail was losing his patience.

_We're dead!_ the second voice mewed.

Now the tom was doubly confused. First two invisible cats claimed they were his sisters, and now they were telling him they were dead? "Explain this!" he spat.

_I'm Wishkit! _the first kit mewed. _I was born dead._

_And I'm Hopekit, _the second kit added. _I only lived a few moments._

"I don't believe you!" Brokentail hissed. "You're not my sisters. Leave me alone!"

_We're here to watch over you, brother._

_We're here for you._

The tom shut his eyes, hoping he was only dreaming. Where was the cat he was looking for? Why hadn't he come yet?

_You don't have to do this!_ Hopekit mewed.

_You shouldn't kill him!_ Wishkit echoed.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Brokentail spat, lashing his tail. "You don't even know what I'm doing!"

_You're waiting for Raggedstar._

_You want to kill him._

The tom huffed in annoyance. So they did know what he was up to. "It's none of your business what I do. Leave me alone."

_Killing is wrong, brother._

_He's our father, brother._

"He's _my _father! Not yours!" Brokentail cried, unsheathing his claws and digging them into the branch. "Go away!"

_We can't, brother._

_We're doing this because we love you, brother._

_Don't do this. Think of the consequences._

_Make good choices._

"Shut up!" he yowled. "Just shut up! I don't have to listen to you! I don't even know you!"

Wishkit's tiny voice wavered slightly. _We care about you, big brother._

_We just want you to be good, _Hopekit added.

Brokentail shook his head furiously. "How can you care about me if you've never met me?"

_You're our brother._

_And we'll care no matter what._

A dark brown older tom strolled into Brokentail's vision, padding unsuspectingly down a narrow dirt path. The tom in the tree watched the other cat, crouching low and flicking his tail back and forth as the cat came closer.

_Killing is wrong, brother!_

_You don't have to do this, brother!_

_Please don't!_

_Think of the consequences!_

The voices of his sisters grew louder and louder and Brokentail watched the older tom approach. He shook his head to clear it, trying to ignore the voices screaming at him to stop. As Raggedstar paused underneath the tree to sniff a mouse hole, Brokentail leaped down onto his father's back, tearing into his flesh with sharpened claws. His father writhed under his grasp, but could not get away. Raggedstar struggled wildly as his son ripped him apart madly. When the older tom fell limp, he collapsed on the ground, staring up at Brokentail. There was no anger in his gaze, only sadness.

When Raggedstar's breath finally stopped and his eyes glazed over, Brokentail heaved a sigh of relief. His father was dead, so now he could be the leader.

_Oh, brother, _Hopekit sighed.

_What have you done? _Wishkit mewed sadly.

"I made myself the leader of ShadowClan," Brokentail meowed proudly. "Now leave me alone!"

_We will never do that, brother. We will always be with you._

_And we will always love you._

_**(A/N: I'll do stories three and four tomorrow. They're going to be how I think the leader ceremonies should have gone.)**_


	3. Chapter 3

Tigerclaw

"Remember, Tigerclaw, be respectful to StarClan," a gray tom meowed solemnly as the two cats paused at the entrance of a large, ominous cavern.

Tigerclaw rolled his eyes, flexing his paws anxiously. "Yeah, yeah," the brown tabby growled, "as long as I get my lives."

His companion studied the scarred tom with narrowed eyes. "I hope you will be a good leader for ShadowClan."

"I'll be the best leader ShadowClan has ever seen," the tom promised. "Trust me."

Padding into the dark cave, he didn't hear Runningnose send a quiet prayer up to their ancestors. He was going to be leader! All those moons of plotting had finally paid off. All those deaths had paid off. His plan had worked.

* * *

><p>"Welcome to StarClan, Tigerclaw," a black she-cat meowed, gazing at the tabby warrior with narrowed green eyes.<p>

"Leopardfoot!" Tigerclaw gasped in shock, recognizing his mother. "What are you doing here?"

The queen sat down on the cool, dewy grass and ran a paw over her ear, smoothing a tuft of fur. "I am here to give you your first life," she meowed. Her green gaze met her son's, staring into his amber orbs with an intense burning so fierce the tom had to look away. "I am also here to be honest with you. StarClan does not want you to lead ShadowClan."

Tigerclaw flashed his mother an indignant glare. "What do you mean? I deserve to be leader! I've worked so hard!"

"You've spent your life killing innocent cats!" Leopardfoot hissed. "You are cruel and bloodthirsty. That is not what we want in a leader."

"I don't care what you want," the tabby spat, feeling the fur on his shoulders spike. "Just give me my lives already!"

The black she-cat stood up stiffly and stalked up to her son. "I give you a life of reason. Use it well and don't leap to conclusions. Listen to what your Clanmates are saying. Think of the consequences your actions will have." She pressed her nose to Tigerclaw's, sending bolts of pain searing through him.

The tabby tom stumbled back in shock. "That hurt!" he cried angrily. "And that's a stupid life! Give me one for power! For bravery! For strength!"

"We will give you the powers we think you need," Leopardfoot snapped. "Now if you really want to be leader, sit still and quit complaining."

A reddish-brown tom padded through the black empty sky to stand beside the queen. Standing beside his mate, the tom studied the warrior with critical green eyes. "So this is what my son has become?" he growled, nearly spitting the words.

"Father!" Tigerclaw snarled, showing his teeth. "What right do you have to show up at this ceremony? You abandoned me! It's your fault I became what I am!"

Pinestar snorted, shaking his head roughly. "No, son, do not blame that on me. You still had a mother who loved you. It is not my fault you became a monster. It's no one's fault but your own. Not even Thistleclaw could have predicted what you would do."

The rugged brown tabby unsheathed his claws menacingly. "Just give me a life, you old fool."

"Very well," the older tom meowed. "I will give you a life of justice. Use it to make wise decisions and to act as a good judge for your Clan."

Pinestar thrust his nose into Tigerclaw's, and the warrior nearly lost his balance. This life felt as his he had been hit by a monster, thrown and rattled before crashing onto the pavement. He almost wondered if he would be able to handle seven more lives if they were all this painful.

"That's a waste of a life," Tigerclaw grumbled. "I suppose that makes sense since you're a waste of a cat."

Two tiny kits came racing toward the older cats. The little ginger kit nearly collided with her father, and the black kit rolled over on her side, happily batting her mother with her tiny paws.

"Mistkit! Nightkit!" Tigerclaw gasped, recognizing his little sisters. "Did you come to give me lives?"

"Of course we did!" the little black kit squeaked. "You didn't think we'd miss this, did you?"

The ginger kit bounced around her brother excitedly. "We've been watching over you forever! We're so happy you get to be leader!"

Tigerclaw swallowed nervously, feeling embarrassed by his sisters' praise. "Yes, well, whatever. Just give me my lives."

Nightkit padded up to her brother, staring up at him with large, loving eyes. "I'm giving you a life of mercy. Use it well to care for those who cannot care for themselves," she squeaked.

The tom bent down to meet his sister's nose. This life did not hurt like the previous ones. Instead it flowed into him warmly and smoothly.

"I'm going to give you a life, too," Mistkit squeaked, shaking her little ginger pelt. She moved to take her sister's place in front of the large tom. "I give you a life of love. Use it to love all the kits and anyone who doesn't have someone to love them."

This life seemed to melt into the tom, hot and sweet as it poured into him. Shaking himself, Tigerclaw jerked his head back, nearly knocking his sister away. "What is this?" he spat. "Sending my tiny sisters to give me lives? For mercy and love?"

"You need them," Leopardfoot meowed calmly.

"We love you, big brother!" Nightkit squeaked.

Tigerclaw ignored his sister's outburst. "Where are the rest of the cats? Who else is giving me a life? I need lives for courage and battle!"

His father shook his head slowly. "No one's coming, son."

"What do you mean?" the tabby asked, confusion filling his mind.

Leopardfoot pressed up against her mate. "No one else was willing to give you lives. We're the only ones who would."

"But I need nine lives!" Tigerclaw spat. "Go and fetch more cats! Get Nightstar or Cinderfur or Lionheart!"

"They all refused," his mother meowed quietly. "Everyone refused."

Pinestar nodded solemnly. "Be thankful you got any lives at all. Four is better than one."

"I demand to get the rest of my lives!" the tabby hissed, unsheathing his claws threateningly.

Mistkit padded up to her brother, rubbing against his pelt. "Say thank you, brother!"

Nightkit joined her sister, staring up at her brother. "You have to be thankful for what you get!"

"I do not!"

The kits pressed up against him. "That's okay," Nightkit mewed. "We still love you."

"And we always will," Mistkit added. "Even when you think about doing more bad things, we'll still be watching over you."

"I just want my lives!" Tigerclaw snarled, trying to get away from his sisters. He turned away from them and ran off across the grass, not knowing where he was going. He just wanted to get away from his loving sisters.

The voices of the kits rang through the air as they called after him. "Make good choices, brother! We're so proud of you! Don't do bad things! We love you!


	4. Chapter 4

Brokentail

A ragged brown tom sat on the edge of a cliff, staring up at a dark, ominous looking sky. Where was StarClan? He hadn't travelled all the way from ShadowClan territory with that annoying medicine cat just to see a dark sky. Confused, the tom glanced around quickly. He was sitting on dewy, bright green grass that covered the land. The land behind him swept away to a valley, with large trees dotting the land. Not a single cat was to be seen. All was silent in StarClan.

"Where are you?" he howled into the air. "I'm here to receive my nine lives!"

Only silence met his call. Frustrated, the tom flopped down on the grass. What was going on? Why was no one coming to give him lives? Did his medicine cat know this would happen?

"Yellowfang?" the tom hissed, wondering if the dark gray she-cat was there. He had left her sitting outside Mothermouth. Maybe she had followed him into the cavern. Maybe she was watching the ceremony.

Finally some movement caught his eyes. Two stars were glowing faintly in the distance, growing brighter as they drew closer. The stars changed shape to show two cats- the ones who had come to answer Brokentail's call.

"You're kits!" the tom cried in dismay as he stared at the tiny gray kits watching him with glowing amber eyes.

One tipped her fluffy head to one side. "Of course we are!" she squeaked.

"You didn't think we'd be grown-up cats in StarClan, did you?" the other added.

Brokentail heaved a sigh as he realized who these kits were. "You're Wishkit and Hopekit, aren't you?"

"Yep!" the slightly larger kit mewed. "I'm Hopekit!"

"And I'm Wishkit!" the smaller one mewled. "We've come to give you lives!"

The tom snorted, not believing the tiny cats. "Yeah. Right. Very funny, you two. Now where are the real StarClan cats? Where's Cedarstar? Foxheart? Cloudpelt?"

Hopekit and Wishkit exchanged unhappy glances. The larger kit gave her brother a sympathetic look. "Um, we don't know how to tell you this, but StarClan doesn't want you to be leader."

"What?" Brokentail screeched. "How can that be?"

Wishkit curled her tail around her paws. "They all think you are evil. No one wanted to give you your lives. They said you should be punished, not rewarded."

The tom turned away from the kits to look down into the valley. "Where are they?" he hissed. "Are they all cowards? Are they so afraid that they sent to kits to reason with me?"

"No, silly!" Wishkit squeaked. "They aren't afraid of you. They were just going to ignore you and let you wander around all confused until you woke up without your lives."

"We came because we convinced them you should get at least a few lives!" Hopekit mewed. "The really important StarClan cats said we could each give you a life."

Brokentail glared down at his sisters. "I don't want the lives you have to give me. They're probably for love or kindness or something weak."

Hopekit narrowed her little amber eyes. "So you don't want our lives?"

"I'd probably be just fine without them," Brokentail spat. "I don't want you to give me sappy and sweet lives! Those are for weak cats."

Wishkit and Hopekit exchanged glances. Finally they shrugged and turned back to their brother. "Fine," Wishkit mewed. "If you don't want our lives, we won't give them to you."

"But don't think this means we won't still watch over you," Hopekit added.

"You mean I'm going to have to listen to the pair of you saying 'Be good' and 'Make good choices' for the rest of my life?" Brokentail hissed.

The kits nodded. "Yep!"

"Oh great!" the tom sighed. "This is going to make taking over the forest a lot harder."

Hopekit nodded. "That's our goal. We want you to be good!"

"We love you very much, big brother!" Wishkit mewed.

They pressed up against each other, giving Brokentail one last glance before they faded away. "Make us proud!"

_**(A/N: I know this was a little weird. It was just a crazy idea I had, so...)**_


End file.
